Jonah’s self-righteousness had been diminished somewhat but not destroyed. He cried, “Salvation comes only from the LORD!” yet also, in effect, “But I’m not like those awful pagans!” (Jonah 2:8–9). That is why he was still susceptible to the spiritual crash that happened to him after God showed Nineveh mercy. He still felt, to some degree, that mercy had to be deserved, and they didn’t deserve it.
